This guy will keep you BUSY-

dang, caring for a baby is time-consuming.

(duh.)

So, Project 365: I have been keeping up with it! I promise! I have faithfully taken (at least) a photo a day all year! The only thing is, I have exceeded my 100MB on flickr for a free account. So either I resize my pics... or pay for a membership! Or, I guess put the pics on here, but that would be pretty boring for anyone reading... Oh well! I'll figure it out!

Well, I did it. I opened the etsy shop. I mainly did it for those friends of mine who live in Georgia who had seen things that I've made for Noah and wanted me to make some for them- but within 24 hours of "opening" the shop, I had 3 orders from people I didn't know! Alright! I put a link down on the right side of the page, under Project 365, if you wanna look at it!

Also, I've been working a lot and Noah started Kindermusic last week (I'm gonna write a whole post about Kindermusic soon- I LOVE IT!) It's been pretty busy around here, yet we haven't really had anything exciting enough to post about! :)

IT CAME! IT CAME!

MY NEW LENS CAME YESTERDAY!

I'm a little excited.

(IT's a 35mm f/1.8) I haven't had much time to play with it since it got here right as the sun was going down, but I'm gonna play around today!

Joe did take this picture of us in the backyard though, which I like:






... also, I'm toying with the idea of an Etsy shop. Cloth napkins, camera straps, burp cloths, onesies, hair bows, etc. You know, all that stuff that's already on Etsy. Hmm...

Project 365

Well, Project 365 is up and running if anyone's interested. There *should* be a link to my flickr set on the right side of the page here (I have learned this morning that I am proficient in neither blogger NOR flickr). I had to cheat a little because I missed a few days, so a few pics are from late december, but eh, a pic a day relatively speaking.

Also, I'm sorry that the entire project will probably end up Noah-centered. I will try hard for this NOT to be the case.

Anyone else doing (or have done) Project 365? I wanna see!

New Year's Resolutions, Part I

I'm a little early here, but resolutions have been on my mind recently. I thought I'd share the first few here as a way to keep me accountable.

NOTE: Basically every year before this one, my new years resolution was to lose weight. Well, not this year. There are other things in life that are more important than how I look. That's not to say I'm not going to try to be healthier (especially after this Christmas- cheese straws, fudge, cookies, chinese chewies, ladyfingers... do I need to go on?), but I'm not going to feel like a failure if I'm not down 3 dress sizes. Ok, moving on.


1. Read the entire Bible.

I'm not just walking into this one blindly! Aimee over at Womens Marriage Ministries has pointed me in the direction of the New Thru 30 plan (that's the New Testament in 30 days!) and there's even a handy lil blog frog group to keep me accountable!

I have really been slacking in reading the Word for the past... well, forever I guess. I mean, if someone gives me a verse, I'll look it up, but I'm horrible about reading it on my own. Therefore most of my conversations with God are one sided (me asking for something, or thanking for something) and that's not how it's supposed to be.
My plan is to read through the New Testament first, then go back and read the Old Testament.

2. Learn to use my camera

Hello, my name is Laura and I am one of those girls with a nice camera... that shoots on auto all the time. The first step is admitting you have a problem, right? I mean, my idea of taking a good photo is turning the flash off. *sigh* I'm going to learn, though!

Last night I stumbled across a photography blog of a girl (we'll call her Pixy) on a message board that I frequent and she had a genius idea about bouncing light (read about it here on her blog). So I tried it and here are a few shots I got- I love it! It's truly the happy medium between flash and no flash!

3. As another way to keep the camera resolution, I'm planning to do the 365 project this year. That's one picture, every day, for a year. I've not yet decided if I'll do a separate blog or a Flickr pool. We shall see.

Those are all the resolutions I can think of so far. I thought of another one as I was drifting off to sleep last night (and even thought "dang! that's a GOOD one!") and then completely forgot what it was. *sigh* My poor ole brain.

How's this for Merry Christmas?!

As you can see, our shoot started off chill enough, but by the end, Quin got really upset with us for making him be nakey- and Ashley had to use her motherly love to soothe him (hehe). I just sent the 300 pics we got today to Ashley- these were just a few of my faves- I can't wait to see which ones she picks for their "Happy New Year" card!

Gracie's big day!

I got to take some pictures of Miss Gracie Poo this past weekend for her Christmas card. I love her and would like to steal her if her mommy would let me... some days she says it's cool.

Meanwhile, Ashley's still knocked up...

She came with me to the shoot then we went to the Home Depot Design Center (swoon) and Target. I'm not gonna lie... Starbucks and Pizza Hut were also involved. Woot!

Also, I love Cohen

Check out those eyes! (only a little Photoshopped!)

Preparing for Quin

This weekend I had the priviledge of doctumenting Ashley and Karl's journey to become parents. These two people hold such a speacial place in my heart and I cannot imagine anything greater than to be a part of their son Quin's life and for them to be a part of my future children's lives.
I have known Karl since I was 14 and since the day I met him my first day at a new school, he has been one of the most caring, kind and hilarious people I have ever met. He has always been a dear friend of mine and I love him as I love my 4 brothers (probably more, to be truthful- he never tried to beat me up!)

When I met Ashley, she and Karl had been engaged for a month.

We were on a camping trip in Brevard, NC- it was 15 degrees and we were in the woods with nothing but firewood, crystal light and a handle of vodka.
Bonding ensued. Ever since, Ashley and I have been extremely close. We have the same weirdo sense of humor and love of all things baby, Hobby Lobby and Martha Stewart.

In April of this past year, I called Ashley pretty concerned- I hadn't heard from her in about a week and was getting worried. I called Karl since I couldn't get her on the phone and he assured me that all was well, she was just really busy with school and work. A few minutes after I got of the phone with him, Ashley called. She told me that the reason she hadn't called back is because she had something to tell me...

"I am definitely.... with child."

I don't think I've screamed so loud into my phone before. Ever since that day, I have been the one that wanted to hear everything about the pregnancy (being baby-obsessed myself), who wanted to help clean up and organize the baby's room, who was willing to do baby laundry and sit and talk. Willing, even to help name the baby! One summer afternoon we were discussing how this child, being male, was going to be the 5th in a line of KJMs. Not wanting to go with either the K or the J name, we finally googled all of the different roots and languages for the word "five" or "fifth". By that afternoon, everyone was settled on Quin.

Karl and Ashley are amazing people who are going to be amazing parents. Here are a few of the pics that we took this weekend.

...more of Callie (and her mama)!

I have 3 concerts coming up to prepare for and my cheerleaders are wrapping up football season tomorrow so I've been a little preoccupied with school, and therefore don't have much to post about lately... But here are a few more pics of the Callie Bug (un-photoshopped so far) to last until I get to take more pics and/or something thrilling happens in my life. :)

my best friend's girl

No really- she's my best friends daughter. I love her to death and have now refocused my stalking with the camera onto Callie Grey and her lovely self.

photoshoot

Susie asked me to come by and take some pics of the boys for their Christmas card. Here are my faves of Caveny and Carter.

We had so much fun.

New Camera!

I got a new camera! It is a Nikon D60 and it rocks the sure shot. Fo sho.

pic of my OLD camera, taken by my NEW camera:


Pic of my NEW camera, taken by my OLD camera:



Need I say more?